Until now it has been customary for lancets or lancet elements—even if they are arranged inside a lancet holder inside a lancing device for piercing the skin for taking a blood sample—to have to be withdrawn by hand from the casing or the lancet holder of the lancing device when changing the lancet. In this case the problem arises that there is the risk of an inadvertent injury on the one hand and that it is necessary to handle lancets or lancet elements contaminated by blood from the puncture made previously on the other hand.
In addition, when changing the lancet or lancet element it has not been possible to ascertain whether the lancet has been inserted in a reliable manner, i.e. preferably up to 100 percent in the lancet holder, or is positioned at the intended location, so that a reliable operation of the lancing device, even with respect to the depth of piercing, may be guaranteed.